I have been seeing comments all day in regards to the statements that Iman made about Michelle Obama in her interview with Parade Magazine. I had to do a Google search in order to find out what all the talk was about. So for those like me who didn’t catch it, being it was posted online back in early May, here is an excerpt of her interview:

“Mrs Obama is not a great beauty, but she is so interesting looking and so bright. That will always take you farther. When you’re a great beauty, it’s always downhill for you.  If you’re someone like Mrs Obama, you just get better with age,” she said.  Iman, 53, also told Parade that her fame and fortune did not shield her from racism. “You suddenly represent a whole race, and that race goes, Well, that person does not represent our ideals of beauty. For lack of a better term, it becomes what it was like during slavery,” she said. “One had the field n*gger and the house n*gger. There was this notion that I was chosen by white fashion editors to be better than the rest, which I am not. I did not like being thought of as the house n*gger.”

Now that we all know what she said one can understand why so many people would be outraged at her comments. However, if you really pay attention to what she was saying, you would understand that she wasn’t paying Our First Lady any disrespect. Though it could very well have been worded differently if you looked at the whole interview, you would very clearly see the whole picture.

What “my” interpretation of what Iman was trying to say is that even though Mrs. Obama may not be a “model chick” as far as looks, she has her own beauty and she is smart.  In the long run in life that will take you farther than being known for your beauty.  When you are known for your beauty, as you age people will always look for your flaws.  Because of how beautiful she was/is, Iman stood out in the modeling industry and was placed upon a pedalstal because of it.  Her metaphor of comparing the field n*gger and the house n*gger is her way of expressing that even though she was beautiful she didn’t want people to look at her as if she felt like she was better than anybody else because she didn’t feel that way.

People will undoubtedly have their own interpretations of what Iman said.  I’m not trying to defend what she said, I am simply reading between the lines.  Often times people who are from other countries have their own way of expressing themselves.  Sometimes we take things in the wrong context.  I honestly believe that Iman was showing her own form of envy for Mrs. Obama.  Believe what you want about what she was trying to say.  One thing will remain true… both Iman and Mrs. Obama represent timeless beauty to me!

Mz. Limitless : o )

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